How Many Calories in a Strawberry
How many calories in a strawberry? There are only a few calories in your average strawberry. However, there are many sizes of strawberries and the size of the strawberry goes a long way in determining exactly how many calories it has. Therefore, the answer varies greatly from berry to berry, and on how many you have had to eat.
How Many Calories in a Strawberry – Nutrition Facts
Strawberries have been grown for hundreds of years throughout the world. They’re a beautiful red color, can fit in the palm of your hand, and are fun to eat.
What you may not know is that in addition to the vibrant red berries, there are white strawberries too. They taste the same, but have less of the red pigment that is so easy to recognize. However, these white berries are rare and not usually found in stores.
If you’re someone that loves to eat strawberries, you don’t have to feel bad when you’re eating them. They’re actually quite low in calories, especially if you only eat a few.
The size of a strawberry dictates what the calorie count will be, so obviously the larger the strawberry you like, the more calories you will be eating.
The amount of calories in strawberries is pretty straightforward. They’re small fruits that are meant to be eaten a few at a time, so they aren’t weighed down with too many calories.
One small strawberry, which is about 7 grams in weight, is only around 2 calories. This is the type of berry you would want to put into a smoothie or on cereal.
A medium strawberry, which is roughly 12 grams, has 4 calories. This is the type you would generally see eaten as a snack or placed in a pie or cake.
A large strawberry or one that is 18 grams nets 6 calories. This is the type of strawberry you commonly see in the grocery store, which can be used for many purposes and are great to make strawberry shortcake with or to dip with if you’re making fondue or have a chocolate fountain.
An extra large strawberry, which can weigh up to 27 grams, has 9 calories. This berry is probably most likely to be seen used as a chocolate covered strawberry.
A common serving size of strawberries is around 100 grams, and it doesn’t matter what size of them you’re eating. This serving is only around 33 calories, making this a low calorie snack.
Don’t hesitate to eat strawberries whenever they’re in season, because they won’t set you back if you’re counting calories or if you’re on a diet.
In fact, if you’re looking to add more strawberries into your diet, there are quite a few things you can make with them. If you’re trying to be healthier, you can make different types of smoothies, put them in your oatmeal, or infuse the strawberry into your water or lemonade to stay hydrated. You could even place them in a blender with ice and a bit of lemon juice to make a fresh sorbet. They’re also great in salads.
If you’re not concerned about calorie counting, you can bake strawberries into a number of great things. These include cakes, muffins, and cheesecakes. Additionally, you can use them to make ice cream, place them on pancakes, or make preserves with them.
The possibilities are endless for these beautiful berries.
Health Benefits of Strawberries
In addition to being versatile and tasting good, strawberries also offer up different vitamins and minerals, as well as other health benefits.
A strawberry is a good source of potassium, Vitamin C, and Manganese, which are known to be nutrients that the human body needs to take in each day. The vitamins are not only good for your diet, but can also keep you healthier.
In fact, strawberries are thought to lessen some of the risk of the most deadly diseases, including different types of cancers, high blood pressure, and other heart problems.
This is largely due to the fact that they have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant chemicals, which protect the human body from swelling and substances that cause cancer.
It’s also beneficial for people with diabetes to eat strawberries, mainly because they contain the right type of sugars, which will not mess with your glycemic index. In other words, they will not make your blood sugar spike, which is a large concern for people suffering from this disease.
This fruit also contains folic acid, which is essential for pregnant women to get each day for the health of her and her growing baby. This nutrient is also thought to help with some of the aspects of depression; so in essence, the strawberry may help to regulate moods.
Another benefit to strawberries is that they contain fiber. Everyone needs fiber to have a healthy digestive system – it can keep you from being constipated.
You also need this part of your body to work properly in order to get any toxins or waste out that your body doesn’t need. This aspect may also help contribute to you losing weight, because your body can feel fuller longer, signaling you to eat less.
Finally, strawberries contain a bit of water. Eating them can help you stay hydrated, which is great for your hair, skin, nails, teeth, and internal organs.
It seems like the signature red color of a strawberry is actually a very important clue that there’s good stuff inside the fruit.
The truth is strawberries taste great, which is reason enough to eat them. However, they can offer a lot of benefits to your health and longevity, which is another good reason to eat them.
Most importantly, they’re part of a healthy and balanced diet. Strawberries are low in calories and you can eat them without adding anything to them, so they’re perfect for snacking and making sure you get in your daily serving of fruits.
So next time you see them in the grocery store, pick some up and make a nice fruit salad or toss them in some yogurt to take advantage of their benefits and vitamins.
